Only Prayers for Abhimanyu Easwaran as India Picks Squad for West Indies Tests
The Indian Test squad for the upcoming two-match series against West Indies, starting October 2, has been announced. Notably, Karun Nair and Abhimanyu Easwaran have been left out, and cricket fans across various social media platforms are reacting with mixed opinions.
Karun Nair: An Understandable Omission?
If we talk about Karun Nair, it’s fair to accept that his performance in the recent Test series against England was below expectations. Making a comeback after a long gap, Karun could score only 205 runs in 3 Tests at an average of 25.62. His age is also starting to work against him. That’s likely why the selectors have preferred to give opportunities to younger players instead.
Abhimanyu Easwaran: A Case of Missed Chances
But when it comes to Abhimanyu Easwaran, the disappointment feels deeper. He has been a regular inclusion as a backup opener in multiple recent Test squads. However, he never got a chance in the final playing XI, and now he’s not even part of the squad for this West Indies series. Only Abhimanyu himself would know what he must have been going through mentally. While some experts and fans argue that Easwaran is an opener and the opening slots are currently occupied. First it was Rohit-Rahul, then Rohit-Jaiswal, and now the Jaiswal-Rahul pairing seems to have settled in. Shubman Gill has also been tested as an opener. Due to these combinations, Easwaran’s chances are naturally limited. But on the other hand, many believe that he should have been given at least a few Test matches. How can a player be dropped without even being tested at the international level? Decisions like these could have a demoralizing impact on young talents. Let’s not forget that Abhimanyu Easwaran has had a stellar First-Class career, with: 103 matches, 7,841 runs, Batting average of 48.70 including 27 centuries and 31 half-centuries.
A Message to Easwaran
All we can say to Easwaran is, don’t lose hope. Keep scoring runs in domestic cricket. A great example stands right in front of him i.e. Karun Nair, a fellow teammate who managed to make a comeback into international cricket after several years. If Karun can return, then so can Easwaran. Hard work does pay off.
Team India for the West Indies Test Series
India has announced its squad for the 2-match Test series against West Indies. Shubman Gill has been named captain, while Ravindra Jadeja will serve as the vice-captain. Due to ongoing fitness issues, Rishabh Pant is still unavailable. In his absence, Dhruv Jurel will take over as the primary wicketkeeper, with N. Jagadeesan included as the backup.
Regarding Shreyas Iyer’s omission, Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar clarified that Iyer recently took a 6-month break from red-ball cricket due to a back injury. During this period, he will only play in ODIs and T20Is. As a result, he’s been appointed captain of India A for the ODI series against Australia A.
India’s Test Squad vs West Indies:
Shubman Gill (Captain), KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal
B. Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel (Wicketkeeper)
Ravindra Jadeja (Vice-Captain), Washington Sundar, Mohammed Siraj
Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel,
Nitish Kumar Reddy, Prasidh Krishna, N. Jagadeesan
Let me inform you that this Test series will
be played in India starting from October 2.
Thank You.
